NFL Preseason Week 1: The Rookies Stole the Show — and the QB Questions Are Just Beginning

From breakout rookie quarterbacks to unsettled depth charts, the first full weekend of preseason football gave NFL fans plenty to talk about.

Football is back.

Yes, it is preseason football. The playbooks are limited, many stars barely see the field, and the final score will be forgotten before September arrives.

But for players trying to win jobs, rookies getting their first taste of the NFL and coaching staffs searching for answers, these games matter.

And after all 32 teams completed their preseason openers between Thursday and Saturday, one theme stood above the rest:

The kids came ready to play.

Rookie Quarterbacks Grab the Spotlight

If there was a Player of the Week for the opening preseason slate, Los Angeles Rams rookie Ty Simpson would have a strong case.

The No. 13 overall pick completed 21 of 25 passes for 190 yards and two touchdowns in the Rams' 20-12 victory over Kansas City. Simpson looked comfortable operating Sean McVay's offense, particularly on rollouts and throws on the move, and immediately strengthened his case to become Matthew Stafford's primary backup.

But Simpson wasn't the only rookie quarterback making noise.

Pittsburgh's Drew Allar may have produced the most explosive debut of the weekend. The third-round pick went 10-for-13 for 153 yards and two passing touchdowns, then added another score on the ground as the Steelers rolled past Green Bay, 28-9. He was working primarily against reserves, so perspective is necessary, but three touchdowns in your first NFL action will get people's attention.

Then there was the player carrying the biggest expectations of them all.

No. 1 overall pick Fernando Mendoza completed 10 of 16 passes for 97 yards and a touchdown in Las Vegas' 27-14 loss to Arizona. The numbers weren't spectacular, but Mendoza showed poise, worked through progressions and appeared comfortable taking snaps from under center — an important transition from his college career. Kirk Cousins remains the Raiders' starter, but Mendoza gave Las Vegas fans their first legitimate glimpse at the future.

That's exactly what preseason football is supposed to provide.

Not conclusions.

Clues.

Some Quarterback Questions Got Louder

While several rookies helped themselves, other quarterbacks left Week 1 with more work to do.

Cam Ward, entering his second season with Tennessee after being the No. 1 overall pick in 2025, completed just 5 of 12 passes for 57 yards against San Francisco. He struggled with accuracy and rhythm during his three drives, although one August performance is hardly reason for panic.

In Atlanta, Tua Tagovailoa's Falcons debut was equally quiet. He completed three of five passes for 22 yards across two possessions as Denver's defense consistently generated pressure. Atlanta produced only 24 total yards during those two drives. With Michael Penix Jr. still part of the quarterback equation, the Falcons didn't get many answers from their opener.

Cleveland's quarterback room might be even more interesting.

Deshaun Watson returned to live game action and completed 11 of 15 passes for 126 yards. Shedeur Sanders flashed with a 35-yard completion but also threw an interception, while Dillon Gabriel had an interception of his own in Chicago's 34-10 win. The Browns entered August with a competition to sort out, and one preseason game certainly didn't settle it.

More Than the Quarterbacks: Rookies Were Everywhere

Arizona running back Jeremiyah Love, the No. 3 overall pick, overcame a slow start to finish with 58 rushing yards on 11 carries and 15 receiving yards before leaving with an ankle issue. The early indication from Arizona was that he would be sidelined roughly a week rather than for an extended period.

San Francisco wide receiver De'Zhaun Stribling caught seven of eight targets for 63 yards, making an immediate case for playing time in a 49ers receiving corps searching for dependable options.

Baltimore third-round receiver Ja'Kobi Lane turned his training-camp buzz into production with three catches for 38 yards and a touchdown during the Ravens' 24-7 win over Philadelphia. Rookie tight end Matthew Hibner added five receptions for 61 yards.

And then there was one of the classic preseason stories: the undrafted player forcing everyone to learn his name.

Dallas receiver Camden Brown caught just three passes against Seattle.

Two of them were touchdowns.

Brown finished with 62 receiving yards, including a contested deep score and a spectacular one-handed touchdown grab. For an undrafted free agent fighting for the bottom of an NFL roster, that's exactly how you make sure coaches replay your tape on Sunday morning.

New York: A Little Hope on Both Sides

For Giants fans, the most important moment Saturday may have come after a scare.

Second-year quarterback Jaxson Dart took a hard hit that sent him to the medical tent for a concussion evaluation. He was cleared to return and responded by delivering an impressive on-the-run touchdown pass to rookie wide receiver Malachi Fields.

The Giants ultimately lost to Minnesota, 13-10, but a developing Dart-to-Fields connection is considerably more important in August than the final score.

The Jets fell to Tampa Bay, 24-16, but rookie pass rusher David Bailey, the No. 2 overall pick, drew plenty of attention from the Buccaneers' protection schemes during his limited eight-snap debut. Tampa Bay chipped and double-teamed Bailey at times, an early indication of the respect his explosiveness is already generating.

Three Teams Whose Depth Jumped Off the Screen

Pittsburgh looked loaded with young talent. Allar had the headline performance, second-round receiver Germie Bernard caught four passes for 51 yards, and rookie kicker Trey Smack went 3-for-3 on field goals, including a 58-yarder.

Chicago didn't even need its starting offense to score 34 points. Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum combined for 320 passing yards and three touchdowns as Ben Johnson's system kept producing regardless of who was taking the snaps.

Baltimore also looked deep. The Ravens beat Philadelphia 24-7 while getting production from young pass catchers Lane and Hibner, while undrafted quarterback Joe Fagnano completed 22 of 28 passes for 224 yards and a touchdown.

Championships aren't won by third-stringers in August.

But once injuries hit in November and December, organizational depth stops being a preseason storyline and starts becoming a playoff storyline.

Week 1 Scoreboard

The complete opening-week slate:

Matchup	Final
Bengals over Lions	16-14
Steelers over Packers	28-9
Colts vs. Patriots	13-13
Chargers over Texans	27-7
Cardinals over Raiders	27-14
Titans over 49ers	19-13
Commanders over Dolphins	20-7
Buccaneers over Jets	24-16
Broncos over Falcons	27-7
Bears over Browns	34-10
Vikings over Giants	13-10
Bills over Panthers	29-14
Jaguars over Saints	24-20
Rams over Chiefs	20-12
Ravens over Eagles	24-7
Cowboys over Seahawks	17-7

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The CrossTalk Take

Preseason football comes with one rule that should probably be printed across the bottom of every television screen:

Don't overreact.

A great performance against third-string defenders doesn't turn a rookie into an All-Pro. A bad series doesn't mean a veteran quarterback suddenly forgot how to play football. Coaches are evaluating personnel, experimenting with schemes and frequently keeping their best players on the sideline.

But preseason games do reveal something important.

Opportunity.

Ty Simpson got one and looked ready for it.

Drew Allar got one and turned it into three touchdowns.

Fernando Mendoza showed flashes of why Las Vegas made him the first player selected in the draft.

Camden Brown turned three catches into the kind of performance that can change an undrafted player's career.

And across the league, position battles that looked theoretical a week ago suddenly have actual game film attached to them.

That's why Week 2 matters.

The scores still won't count.

But for plenty of players trying to make sure they're still wearing an NFL uniform when September arrives, every snap will.

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